Revision as of 17:31, 26 May 2010

Grand Rapids is the second largest city in Michigan with a population of just under 200,000 in the city limits, and nearly 600,000 in the surrounding county. The federal West Michigan metropolitan area, which includes Grand Rapids, Muskegon, and Holland (and some intervening farmland), has 1,325,000 people.

Major highways to Grand Rapids include I-196 (from the Chicago area), I-96 (from Muskegon, or from Lansing/Detroit), and US-131 (from Kalamazoo, or from northern Michigan).

Amtrak offers daily evening train service from Chicago's Union Station on its Pere Marquette run. Greyhound also offers bus service to Grand Rapids from various Michigan cities.

Get around

Like most mid-sized U.S. cities, an automobile is the most convenient means of getting around, with convenient free parking available most places outside of downtown. Parking downtown can be inconvenient and somewhat costly on weekdays and during major events (e.g. arena concerts). Walking within the immediate downtown area is pleasant enough in good weather, and generally safe.

Several taxi companies operate in the city, and cabs can be picked up at designated locations such as the airport, or by calling their dispatcher; cabs are usually not hailed on the street, except around the time bars close on weekends. Pedicabs are also becoming popular within the downtown area, currently operating during special events and weekend evenings.

"The Rapid" bus service [3] has a terminal downtown, and routes throughout the city and its suburbs, running early mornings through late evenings on weekdays. Several routes run with less frequent service on Saturdays and Sundays. The buses are clean, safe, and generally on-time.

Street addresses identify the quadrant of the city by adding NW, NE, SW, or SE after the full street name. This is the same system used by Washington, D.C., but Grand Rapids doesn't have the capital's confusing system of alphabetic and numerical street names. There are a few numbered streets just northwest of downtown, but most of the numbered streets are from 28th Street and out on the south side; the far north side instead has Three Mile Road, Four Mile Road, etc. Generally speaking, east-west roads are called "Street" and north-south roads are called "Avenue",

Interwoven bicycle paths and trails make getting around by bike within the city simple. The city website[4] has bike route maps to make finding your way around easy.

See

Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, 1000 East Beltline Avenue NE (North of I-96 on East Beltline, between Bradford St. and Leonard St.), Toll-Free: 888-957-1580, [5]. M,W-Sa: 9AM–5PM, Tu 9AM–9PM, Su Noon–5PM. Plan at least four hours and up to eight hours to enjoy all that there is to offer. Walk the outdoor nature trails and boardwalk, study world-class sculpture within the outdoor sculpture park (including "Leonardo's Horse", a finished interpretation of the giant sculpture da Vinci intended to be his masterpiece), and enjoy endless hours of fun with the kids in the children's garden. Visit the indoor areas including a special sculpture exhibitions in the lovely indoor galleries, see the largest tropical conservatory in the state of Michigan and gaze at exquisite arid and carnivorous plants. The gardens host special concerts in their outdoor amphitheater. Adult 14–64: $12; Senior 65 & older: $9; Students with ID: $9; Children 5–13: $6; Children 3–4: $4; Children 2 & younger: Free.

Gerald R. Ford Museum, 303 Pearl Street NW, 616-254-0400, [7]. Every day 9AM-5PM exc. holidays. Chronicles the United States' "accidental" presidency, the only Chief Executive never elected to serve, who restored a measure of trust to the office following its greatest crisis. Jerry's final resting place is just north of the museum. Downtown on the west bank of the Grand.

Public Art - as the the website [9] suggests, "The Greater Grand Rapids area has quietly built an impressive collection of modern and contemporary sculpture over the course of the last thirty years." Highlights around downtown include La Grande Vitesse, a particularly good example of an Alexander Calder stabile resplendent in trademark bright red-orange, Fish Ladder, a sculpture-cum-overlook platform with views of the riverfront and migrating fish, and Project X, an earthwork by minimalist artist Robert Morris built into a hillside in Belknap Park. The website has extensive information on the pieces, the artists, and their locations, and a section dedicated to the works at Fredrik Meijer Gardens mentioned above.

Grand Rapids Civic Theatre, 30 N. Division, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, ☎616-222-6650, [18]. The Grand Rapids Civic Theatre [GRCT] is the largest community theatre in Grand Rapids and one of the largest in the entire United States, with over 3,000 season ticket holders annually. We reach over 90,000 people during a single season: 110 performances of the six main stage productions; twenty performances of the two productions for children; and a varying number of special events. GRCT is one of the oldest community theatres in Michigan and in the United States. GRCT has a history of continuity and is one of the more self-sufficient arts organizations in our cultural community.

Circle Theatre, 1607 Robinson Road SE Grand Rapids, MI 49506, ☎616-456-6656, [19]. Circle Theatre continues to produce a season of main stage and Magic Circle productions during the summer months of May through September. The rest of the calendar year is focused on the academic theatre programs of Aquinas College and the Catholic high schools.

Events

There are a lot of ethnic festivals during warmer months and are most often held at the downtown Calder Plaza.

Festival of the Arts, [23] - Commonly known as simply Festival, this summer weekend event is the nation's largest all-volunteer arts festival. Chosen by the Library of Congress as a Local Legacy. This event generally occurs in the first full weekend of June.

Fulton Street Artisan's Market, [24] - An open-air market, full of arts and crafts from all skill levels. Booth space is fairly cheap. Open June 14th to September 17th (in 2009), Sundays from 11-3. On the corner of Fulton and Fuller streets.

Celebration on the Grand, [25] - A live music festival and fireworks show held on the weekend after Labor Day. A 30 year-old tradition for the area.

Blues on the Mall, [26] - Live Blues performances every Wednesday at Rosa Parks Circle in the summer. Usually the best time to take in downtown nightlife during the week.

ArtPrize, [27] - After a hugely successful inaugural event in 2009, ArtPrize will be returning in 2010. Downtown Grand Rapids is transformed into one giant arts showcase, as competing artists place their sculptures, paintings, murals, performances, etc., throughout the urban landscape, vying for the world's largest cash prize for art (first prize: $250,000). Winner is decided by public vote, enhancing the dialogue between artists and the public, both expert and casual observer alike. 2010 dates are Sep. 22nd - Oct. 10th.

Buy

Schuler Books and Music- With three locations in the G.R. area (28th Street, Alpine Ave, and on Monroe Center downtown) this large independent bookstore is a great place to relax, read and even get some coffee.

Bohemia Too- Cross a bead store with some funky clothing, gifts, and books and what do you get? This boutique store is right downtown on Weston Ave.

There are several enclosed shopping malls and retail centers in the city and its suburbs - most notably Woodland Mall in the southeast, Rivertown Crossing in the southwest, and Knapp's Corner in the northeast - but they feature much the same stores as similar malls in other cities, so they are mostly of interest to local shoppers and those from less urban areas without such resources.

Eat

Bistro Bella Vita, 44 Grandville Ave SW (Across from the Van Andel Arena between Grandville and Market - Weston is the cross street.), ☎(616) 222-4600, [28]. Fantastic Mediterranean country cuisine. One of the best values and best restaurants in all of West Michigan. This is more like a place you'd find in New York or Chicago. Great wine and beer list. Open for lunch and dinner.

The Beltline Bar, 16 28th Street at Division Avenue, (616) 245-0494. Mexican specialties, including their famous sauce-smothered "wet burrito". (No, it's nowhere near the East Beltline or the South Beltline--way back when they opened, 28th was "the south beltline".)

Charlie's Crab, 63 Market Ave SW, (616) 459-2500, [31]. Some of the best seafood Grand Rapids has to offer in a refined setting overlooking the Grand River.

Silver Derby, 816 Burton St. SE near the corner of Eastern, (616) 243-5777. This "dive bar" has a great atmosphere and amazing chili dogs.

The 1913 Room, 187 Monroe Avenue North West (at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, near the corner of Pearl and Monroe), +1 616 774 2000. The first and only AAA 5 Diamond Restaurant in Michigan. Very upscale, jacket required.

Thai Express, 4317 Kalamazoo Ave SE, ☎(616) 827-9955, [32]. ~11:30-8. The best Thai place to eat at, especially on a student budget. Most dishes are between $6-8$12 max.

Drink

Mulligans A bar/pub Perfect for twenty- to thirty- somethings into counterculture and indie rock. Sunday "make- your- own bloody mary bar". Not for the faint of heart. Right across from Yesterdog at the corner of Wealthy and Lake, in the Eastown neighborhood, a few miles East of Downtown.

The B.O.B. ("the Big Old Building") is a popular downtown nightspot featuring a diverse assortment of restaurants and bars under one roof, across the street from the Van Andel Arena, downtown.

The Intersection is a long-standing venue for live rock and other kinds of music, recently relocated to a larger space downtown.

Billy's Lounge on Wealthy in Eastown features live music - especially blues - most nights.

Diversions is the most popular gay/lesbian-friendly club in town, downtown on Fountain St. just west of Division Ave.

Founders, 235 Grandville Ave SW, is a great microbrew and taproom recently relocated to a new downtown locale. Count on a great variety of beer and occasional live music.

Bar Divani , 15 Ionia Ave SW, is the best winebar in the city. Excellent selections of wine, beer and spirits, and fantastic cusine. Wonderful atmosphere as well.

Hopcat is the city's newest place for a great variety of craft and micro brewed beers, located next to Bar Divani, on Ionia. Featuring over 40 rotating draft beers, and over 100 bottles to choose from, there is something for everyone (including liquor for those that can't drink beer)

Crowne Plaza Grand Rapids Hotel, 5700 28th Street S.E., +1 616 957-1770, [40].Located just off I-96, minutes from the airport in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Only three miles from Gerald R. Ford International Airport, with free shuttle. Five minutes from the largest shopping mall in West Michigan

Get out

This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!